Months after the start of the pandemic, Cary’s Emergency Operation Center, or EOC, is still in operation. Every day, the EOC provides leadership with the information they need to make decisions, as well as ensure continuity of operations, particularly essential services. Cary staff receive weekly updates from Director of Public Safety Allan Cain and the EOC about COVID-related trends in Cary, Wake County and North Carolina. At the same time, an Organizational Framework Team produces weekly operational messages and reports to keep staff, particularly those working from home, informed of operational updates and to answer staff questions. 

One of the EOC’s ongoing tasks in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic is securing and maintaining an adequate supply of personal protective equipment, or PPE, to ensure staff can safely provide services. This task proved challenging at times, not only for staff but also other essential workers in the community, as PPE such as masks, gloves and gowns were in high demand. In April, thanks to the efforts of Cary council members Ya Liu and Lori Bush, Cary obtained 5,000 nitrile rubber gloves from the Chinese American Friendship Association and purchased 30,000 masks. More than 20,000 of these masks were distributed throughout Cary, including to congregate care facilities to assist essential workers in caring for one of the community’s most vulnerable populations. Among adults, the risk for severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, with adults age 65 and older being at the greatest risk for serious complications.

Throughout the pandemic, Cary’s Town Council has also worked to connect citizens to their local government through a series of video messages distributed on Cary’s YouTube channel and social media. Mayor Harold Weinbrecht and council members Liu, Bush, Jack Smith and Jennifer Robinson recorded community messages about different aspects of the pandemic. They encouraged citizens to do their part in slowing the spread of COVID-19 but also do what they can to help their neighbors and take care of their own physical and mental health. These messages have been an important part of Cary’s outreach and have helped humanize local government at a time when citizens are being asked to sacrifice so much.

In an ongoing effort to support citizens and businesses despite the pandemic, Cary staff continue to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances by adopting new, usually virtual, solutions. These include:

• Launching a new vendor application on Cary’s website. This improved form utilizes DocuSign to allow vendors to securely submit banking information to set them up for payment. 
• Holding its first virtual bid opening.
• Reopening Cary Tennis Park and WakeMed Soccer Park. 
• Setting a date for Cary’s first virtual neighborhood meeting. 
• Holding virtual preconstruction, development review, Express Review and Special Project One-Hour Turnaround meetings. 
• Emailing, instead of printing, certificates of occupancy and certificate of compliance letters. 
• Adding paper applications, such as accessory uses for backyard chickens and bees, to the electronic review and payment portal. 
• Accepting development fee credit vouchers electronically. 

Keeping employees informed was critically important in Q4 as the world of work changed for so many employees. A COVID-19 Update section of Cary’s employee intranet became the central source for connecting employees to everything from essential “if you feel sick” and travel guidelines, evolving benefits updates and even a technology and telecommuting portal with instructions, tools and tips for seamlessly continuing work. Also posted were Town Manager Sean Stegall’s communications to employees, All Hands videos and Deputy Town Manager Russ Overton’s twice weekly Operational Framework Team messages and reports that served as a journal of work accomplished from all parts of the organization. 

PRCR ceased operations on March 15 due to the pandemic. Staff immediately began cancelling affected classes and processing refunds for participants. By late May, Cary made the decision to cancel all summer camps; it was apparent at that point that camps could not occur as planned without placing staff and campers at risk. The cancellation of summer camps resulted in 2,400 sales orders that needed to be refunded. Twenty-four PRCR staff members formed a team to tackle this task collectively starting May 26. The team rose to the challenge to complete the work by June 3, which included notifying customers and getting money back into their pockets quickly.

COOP Camp, offered at Herb Young Community Center since March 18, is open to children from kindergarten to eighth grade whose parent/guardian is an essential Cary employee unable to work from home. Since then, Cary served 98 campers during 38 camp days. Popular activities include arts and crafts, movies, hide and seek and gym games. Campers are having so much fun at COOP Camp they don’t want to go home. When a parent arrives to pick up their kid(s) at camp’s end, there are times staff must persuade the campers that they can come back again to play together. In true OneCary spirit, staff from all over PRCR have supported COOP Camp. This includes temporary, seasonal and regular staff such as track-out camp counselors, front desk staff, tennis professionals, program instructors, facility supervisors, program supervisors and more.